Stephen Tailby's Reviews
Nomada Studio's picturesque adventure has made it to PlayStation 4 almost perfectly intact. The game shines at an unwavering 60 frames per second, and it looks superb on a standard console -- let alone PS4 Pro
If you've ever enjoyed the likes of Super Meat Boy or N++, it's worth giving this stylish action title a try.
The whole game feels fairly modest, but it punches above its weight to deliver something very different.
Gameplay might be much the same, but the Cores and Hacks make the action far more varied. The random nature of the level order and the Hacks offered to you mean there's almost a rogue-like flavour to it, though this is still very much a linear game. It's just a little wider, and that meta-storyline and clinical creepiness is absolutely still part of the experience. Endless and Infinite modes mean you'll never run short of baddies to break, a task that's just as satisfying here -- if not more so with the added power-ups.
Spiritfarer is a game with a lot of moving parts, but most of its elements are well handled. Progression comes at a good pace as you upgrade Stella's ship, her abilities, and build relationships with a colourful crew. The crafting minigames are a weak spot, and the writing doesn't always land, but there's a lot to like about this maritime management title.
Vicarious Visions has produced another excellent remake with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2. It brings those PS1 classics to the modern era with a wonderful visual upgrade, rock solid performance, and all the features you'd expect of a game released in 2020. Most importantly, though, it retains the specific feel of the franchise at its best, delivering an addictive, fast-paced, arcade-like experience. Old fans can rest easy knowing that the Tony Hawk games are back on form, while new players can dive into the skateboarding world for the first time. This game is sick, bro.
Hotshot Racing is an unapologetic return to arcade action, and it's brilliant fun. This game's charming retro aesthetic, sweeping powerslides, and glorious handling are a constant joy, and a perfect antithesis to the myriad simulators on PS4. Some might find the courses don't provide much of a challenge, and we'd gladly have taken a little more content, but you'll be hard pushed to find a better example of straight-up arcade racing this generation.
Spelunky 2 betters its predecessor in just about every area. Push through its tough outer shell and you'll discover a fantastic platformer well worth your time. More stuffed with secrets than ever and fleshing out the formula with all kinds of new additions, this is a rich and addictive roguelike with so much to unearth.
There's almost too much to talk about with Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time, but rest assured that this is a return to form for the series. It might be tough, even a little mean at times, but this is the proper sequel fans have been asking for. With so much to see and do, this is a stylish, confident 3D platformer that brings Crash back at his best.
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered brings back a fantastic arcade racing game, and is still brilliant fun 10 years down the line. Autolog feels right at home in 2020, and the over-the-top cops vs. racers gameplay is a blast. While the remaster itself is a little underwhelming, and some of the original title's issues remain, this is nonetheless a great game for petrol heads and adrenaline junkies everywhere.
If you've just got yourself a PS5, don't sleep on DIRT 5. It brings bombastic, arcadey racing to the console's launch lineup, giving you something totally different to play alongside the heavy hitters. Although the haptic feedback implementation is basic and one or two visual bugs remain, the core experience is seriously fun, and well worth checking out if you like driving sideways.
Overall, this is very much just more of the same, but Overcooked remains a delightful co-op experience. Extremely accessible, surprisingly challenging, and fun for all ages.
Cyber Shadow isn't afraid to just be what it is: an unapologetic, retro-inspired action game. Steady upgrades mean you'll be introduced to new mechanics for most of the adventure, keeping things interesting all the way. An old-school challenge awaits, and while it's mostly a fair fight, checkpoints can be a little far apart, and some bosses might stop you in your tracks. Still, if you're looking for a rock solid side-scroller, this is absolutely worth your time
It Takes Two is an excellent co-op adventure. While it stumbles on certain narrative aspects and not all the performances are winners, it more than makes up for that with its brilliantly fun and ever-changing gameplay. Forcing two players to work in tandem in countless ways, the game embraces co-op play wholeheartedly, and the variety of gameplay and environments makes it a joy to play from start to finish.
It isn't perfect; using the floaty jump as a dodge can sometimes land you in even more trouble, aiming your throwable pickaxe is imprecise, and some rooms just feel unfair. We also noticed some odd visual hitches, although these can be smoothed out by enabling vsync in the settings. All that said, if you enjoy a rogue-lite, particularly those with meaningful upgrades, UnderMine is well worth delving into.
Overall, we'd say this is a decent upgrade that makes effective use of PS5's capabilities. However, if you're yet to grab Sony's new machine, the PS4 version will serve you just fine until you do. For a more in-depth look at the game itself, read our more comprehensive Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 PS4 review.
With a bunch of smart additions, F1 2021 is a cracking simulator for both die-hard fans and newcomers. The Braking Point story mode doesn't have a particularly compelling narrative, but it's a brilliant gateway into the motorsport and a primer for the wider game. Two Player Career, the Expert driving style, Real Season Start, and more make this the most customisable and accessible iteration yet, allowing you to play how you like across the game's excellent career options. Of course, the driving itself seals the deal, and it's a winner on that front. This is a no-brainer for F1 fans, but it's also a fantastic entry for newbie drivers to start with.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is, well, great Ace Attorney. The typical gameplay is embellished with some interesting new wrinkles, but it's the cast of characters and compelling narrative that make this a worthy spin-off. The story told across the pair of games is intriguing, you'll grow to love most of the characters, and there are some cracking, memorable cases to solve. This duo of games isn't doing much to push the franchise forward, but it's a very worthwhile adventure nonetheless. A great place to start for newcomers and a fascinating alternate story for fans, should you give this a shot? The answer is elementary.
WRC 10 builds on the success of its predecessor with another impressive rally sim. The handling feels excellent on the track, and speeding through all the official routes is a real thrill. Alongside its meaty Career mode is a long list of ways to play, including the 50th Anniversary cars and events, which are a great addition. It's not perfect, lacking some visual polish and locking content in unusual ways, but overall, this is another step in the right direction for KT Racing.
OlliOlli World is a huge leap forwards for Roll7's skating series. Lovely new presentation, a fun location filled with personality, and that all-important, ever-addictive gameplay align to make for a super fun take on the sport. While it's been made more approachable to new players, it still offers quite a stern challenge, and not all the dialogue and characters nail it. However, any nit picks easily melt away when it all clicks. Heaven really might be a halfpipe, after all.